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ALFIE AND THE PINK UNICORN - NOT A CHILDREN ’ S BOOK
BY DUGIE GEMMILL , PARKSIDE VETERINARY PRACTICE
From a veterinary professional standpoint , one of the joys of being a vet is that we are a multi-disciplinary medical professional at grassroots , street level .
When you are unwell , you visit your GP . On many occasions , they will set you right but when your case is more complicated you go elsewhere for tests . The results of such further investigations may often lead to a happy conclusion , or perhaps an appointment with a specialist or consultant . This pathway does exist within the veterinary world but so much more can and will be done at your own practice . At Parkside we have access to an extensive laboratory , a digital x-ray machine , an ultrasound scanner , a digital dental x-ray machine and all manner of surgical facilities and toys , from laparoscopic to orthopaedic surgery . Lately we have even been making use of an external CT ( computed tomography ) scanner on an outpatient basis .
Hidden within many general veterinary practices are vets and veterinary nurses with advanced skills and qualifications in both medical and surgical fields . It is a joy for us to able to help our patients and our pet-owning clients with more complex cases . It is stimulating for us professionally . For a client it is less stressful to be able to rely on their first-opinion vet where often a relationship and trust has been built over many years . I should stress that this applies to the veterinary profession within the UK , as a whole . We are a pet-loving nation and we are blessed with a superb healthcare structure for those pets !
Last week we received a concerned phone call from the owner of Alfie , a delightful and mischievous Border Collie pup . The owner occasionally had her nieces around to visit and knowing how puppies are inquisitive , kept a paranoid eagle ’ s eye on what manner of toys and playthings appeared with the girls . On the
morning in question , she caught sight of something ‘ pink and plastic ’ resting precariously in Alfie ’ s mouth and though she came out of the starting blocks like a championship greyhound , he gulped , and the object vanished inside !
The innocent Alfie was at the surgery within half an hour , happily anticipating extra cuddles form the staff at Parkside . Our subsequent x-ray showed a distinct object in his stomach which was too large to come out the way it had gone in ! The vets played a game of guess the object . I had no clue , but Drew ( having inside knowledge of such things with three young children ) anticipated an equine creature of some form or other . Our cute patient underwent surgery to remove the foreign body from his stomach – the early appearance of a trio of hooves from the surgical wound in his stomach proved Drew right ! Out popped a luridly pink unicorn ! The lovely Alf recovered quickly from his anaesthetic and was delighted to spend most of the afternoon in the arms of a selection of loving veterinary nurses . His delighted , relieved and totally besotted owner vowed to be even more hyper-vigilant in the future . I am not sure we can rely on Alfie to make a similar commitment to less mischievous behaviour !
Today ’ s interesting case is a huge , affable mass of Bernese Mountain Dog puppiness – Winnie tumbled badly in some woods and fractured her forearm . I plan to place a bone plate to repair the fracture and once we have finished with the advanced veterinary work , we shall all revert to being softies and take turns hugging a six-month-old lovable hearth rug !
Dugie is a graduate of Glasgow University and has worked at Parkside Veterinary Practice since 1990 and has been the Clinical Director for the last seven years . He has a keen interest in laparoscopic and orthopaedic surgery .
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